MB, that is an interesting fly. How did you connect them "hook to hook"? I have not fished the pattern I made yet, so I don't know if it will foul bad. I can't wait to head to the clinch. We are bringing our driftboat up there when our TU chapter does it's stream of the month this summer. It looks like a great place!

That fly looks great! I am just getting into tying streamers, but I like fishing them. I have caught my biggest brown on one. That sort of looks like an olive sex dungeon streamer. Try that pattern in yellow too. That's my favorite big brown color. Is it a hard one to make?

On the fouling issue, have you tried clipping off the hook bend of the second (rear) hook after you tie it? (I'd leave it on during tying to clamp it in the vise.) In a a trophy section, you might have to clip it off anyway, if the regs say one hook only.

On the fouling issue, have you tried clipping off the hook bend of the second (rear) hook after you tie it? (I'd leave it on during tying to clamp it in the vise.) In a a trophy section, you might have to clip it off anyway, if the regs say one hook only.

Thanks

Bill

Bill,
I used a size 12 long shank with a size 14 emerger-? (if I can remember correctly). I tied the flies in two-stages:

1. I tied the tail by itself in the vise using pheasant tails, gray dubbing, copper wire as a wrap. It looks like I added a bead in the picture. However; that is just the side of the hook eye.

2. For the lead hook, I crushed the barb very flat and slid the eye of the second hook on to the bend. You may have to play around with a few hook types to find one that will do this smoothly. I loosened up the trailer hook eye with an old dubbing needle to give it more movement. To secure the trailer hook; I started a tapered thread ball about midway up the hook bend and whip-finished. I added a couple coats of 'Hard As Nails' to the thread ball.

3. The front-hook is only black-ice dubbing, ginger hackle, and stopper chain eyes.

*It works very well and the trailer attachment keeps it from having too much range of motion to foul the setup. I usually throw it ahead of a drift and let it dance by itself in the ripple. The brookies like it most of all.

**I crushed the trailer barb after taking the picture. The key to this setup is to limit the range of motion for the trailer hook so that it does not interfere with the lead hook in the cast.

I borrowed this idea from DAVE WHITLOCK. I just changed how they hooks are connected. I have found that using a connecting loop can create too much of a range of movement-allowing the trailer hook to foul the front hook and tippet.
Illustration/Design by Dave Whitlock:

Tie a horizontal loop with heavy mono from the front fly similar to the vertical loop that's shown in the illustration. Make the loop a little larger and place it under the back fly to keep the back fly from swinging down.

Just a thought...... What if you made the loop out of lead or lead free wire?
I'm thinking it would add some weight to the front portion to get the fly down in the water column, and still allow the tail to occilate back & forth, and hopefully not foul the front and the hook.

Just a thought...... What if you made the loop out of lead or lead free wire?
I'm thinking it would add some weight to the front portion to get the fly down in the water column, and still allow the tail to occilate back & forth, and hopefully not foul the front and the hook.

Bill

I considered that option. However; I liked using normal tying thread to shape an nice pyramid knob for the second eye to rest on and to move laterally. It was much easier to utilize and it seems to work great. I coated the knot with about 2-3 coats of 'Hard as Nails'.

I have used many of Dave Whitlock's Designs and he is fabulous with his illustrations. The one I attached works pretty good for the design he has illustrated. However; rubber legs, marabou tails, and any loose flash will almost always foul the rig after a few casts.

*Another consideration is to be mindful if the fly floats upside down or right side up That makes a huge difference too.